


Something Like Home

by Angelwingsl3 (Marie_Fanwriter)



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types
Genre: First Meeting, Gen, Pre ME3, Swearing, implied Anderson/Sanders background, post ME2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23198908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marie_Fanwriter/pseuds/Angelwingsl3
Summary: With the arrival of the Reapers looming on the horizon, Jack decided she wanted to spend her time being useful. When Shepard directed her to Admiral Anderson, she had no idea what would be in store for her.
Relationships: Jack | Subject Zero & Kahlee Sanders
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12
Collections: Spectre Requisitions 2020





	Something Like Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CoaxionUnlimited](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoaxionUnlimited/gifts).



> A gift for [**CoaxionUnlimited**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoaxionUnlimited/pseuds/CoaxionUnlimited)!
> 
> Prompted by: _I’m interested in the period between ME2 and ME3. How did Jack get to Grissom Academy? Was it Kahlee who decided to take her on as a teacher - or did someone assign her there? What were their initial impressions of each other? Did Kahlee worry about Jack’s checkered past and attitude, or has she seen this kind of thing before? Did Jack think she was weak or untrustworthy? I’d be up for either them getting on immediately or a strained dynamic that evolves into a strong friendship. What were some of Jack’s early struggles with being a teacher, and how did Kahlee help? Do they have any common ground, or do they have to struggle to build some? How does Kahlee influence Jack’s growth as a person? I’d love to see some Grissom Academy students get screentime here, OCs or canon._
> 
> I hope I hit on enough of your prompt!
> 
> Beta: [**Some_Writer**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Writer)

\---

Earth was… weird, Jack decided. The sky was blue, the buildings were tall, and the gravel crunched beneath her feet. It seemed at face value just like any other planet she’d been to. Parts of her wanted to believe that there would be some sort of difference or like it would be like coming home or some shit like that. She scoffed. It was a stupid, childish want. 

Not that Jack would know what a home was. She’d never had one.

The biotic crossed her arms over her chest, and her new leather jacket crunched. It didn’t matter how hot she ran; winter was still fucking cold in Vancouver. Jack debated finding somewhere indoors to wait but ultimately decided against it. Just being around Alliance headquarters was shitty enough. If she started wandering, someone would try and talk to her or arrest her, not that the latter would be her first time. At least out here in the courtyard, she could avoid being bothered.

A glance at her Omni-tool told her that it wouldn’t be long now. Anderson said he’d be back in an hour, and Shepard trusted him. So, she supposed it was worth giving him a chance. Shepard hadn’t lied yet, and there was no reason to start now.

_ “The Reapers are coming,”  _ Shepard had said, broken and bleeding after the alpha relay blew up when the  _ Normandy _ was speeding away from destruction.

And Jack believed it.

If she was going to die, she might as well enjoy the free food until that happened. The  _ Normandy _ was under quarantine for now, and without someplace else to go, Shepard directed her to Anderson. The Councillor-turned-Admiral would have a place for her to be useful. Hell, if she hated it, she could just go back to pirating.

The door opened precisely fifty-nine minutes after Anderson left, and Jack tilted her head back to see two people walk outside: the Admiral and a woman. She watched them out of the corner of her eye for a moment, putting her hands behind herself in the snowy garden so she could see them without turning around fully. He stood a fair bit taller than the blonde, she looked slight, but everything about her posture reeked of longtime Alliance.

Jack’s eyebrow rose as she noticed Anderson’s hand guiding the woman by her lower back. That wasn’t exactly regulation. It made her grin; emotional ammo could always be useful.

“Ms. Nought!” Anderson greeted Jack as she hopped down from her perch.

“Jack,” she corrected, rolling her eyes as she brushed the snow off her hands and shoved them into her pockets.

He inclined his head in apology but didn’t address it. “This is Kahlee Sanders.”

The woman, Kahlee, smiled and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jack. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Jack looked down at her hand and quirked her mouth to the side. It took a long moment before she extended hers as well. Kahlee’s handshake was firm and warm-- though not biotic warm, she noted. “Likewise, I guess.” Jack put her hands back in her pockets and swayed on her feet. “Anderson here said you got work?”

“I’m a facilitator for Grissom Academy, it’s a school for gifted children--”

“Hold up,” Jack’s eyes narrowed. She had an idea where this was going, and she wasn’t about to become one of the staff on the other side of the glass. “You mean biotics, don’t you?” 

Kahlee nodded, still smiling. “That’s right. I know you don’t have teaching experience, but your biotic skill is unrivalled in the human population. Having someone like you on staff would be instrumental to the success of the project.”

“Fuck, no.”

Between Anderson’s “Now hold on,” and Sanders’ “pardon?” Jack had already had about enough of these two. Fuck what Shepard recommended she do, she’d be better off slumming it on Omega.

“I’m not about to become some soul-sucking dickwad,” she spat, already turning away from them and heading for the exit. “Find another mook.”

“Wait!” Kahlee followed her just a pace behind and grabbed her shoulder before she could open the door.

Jack didn’t stop her biotics from flaring with her rage. “Back off, Princess!”

But the woman refused to back down. She may have let go of Jack’s shoulder, but she stood her ground. It would have been impressive if it wasn’t so stupid. “It’s not like Pragia. We aren’t Cerberus!” 

“And why should I trust what you say?”

“Let me prove it to you,” Kahlee said, challenging Jack with her posture and tone. “Come tour the facility, meet the students. If you think what we’re doing is wrong, then I’ll give you carte-blanche to fix it.”

The blue glow faded from her fists as fast as it had grown. Jack’s brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of the offer. She didn’t know what carte-blanche even meant, but it sounded like-- “Free reign? You’ll let me change shit?”

Kahlee nodded, a tentative smile spreading her lips. “I promise. You tell me what you need, and I’ll make sure the students get it. Guaranteed.”

“How do I know you’re not lying now? That this isn’t a setup.”

“You’ll have my backing.” Anderson walked up behind Kahlee, his hands were behind his back, but he let them drift to his sides as he stopped. “Shepard said you’re the best, Jack. I tend to believe the Commander. As a show of good faith, you’ll be granted a position in the Alliance military as a consultant. Full pay and benefits. You’ll have room and board paid for as well at Grissom. You are the best chance these children will have to learn combat skills to protect them from what we both know is coming.”

Jack shifted her weight between her feet and looked between these two people who she was now supposed to just trust. After everything she’d been through-- all the betrayals and backstabbing-- she’d only recently learned how. Shepard and Tali, hell, most of the ground crew she trusted with her life now. What were two more people?

“Fine,” she levelled them both with a glare and crossed her arms over her chest. “But I’m not wearing a damn monkey suit.”

“No blues,” Kahlee agreed. “But you’ll have to choose something age-appropriate considering you’ll be working with teenagers.” She coughed into her fist to cover a blush. “I’ve seen a few of your mission logs.”

Jack rolled her eyes at the prudish comment, but she supposed the leather jacket look wasn’t so bad once she worked it in. “All right. I’ll give you a week. You better not be fucking with me here, Anderson.” 

The man finally cracked a smile. “I assure you, I’m not.”

“There is one condition,” Kahlee said, raising her hand to stop them from shaking just yet. Jack turned to the woman and twirled her fingers in a ‘get on with it’ motion. “You’ll reign in your swearing.” 

_ “Fuck, _ really?”

\---


End file.
